Screening device for automobiles



0st. 8,. 1935. N. L. MADDOX SCREENING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Nov. 13, 1935 Non aLeaMaddox QWQA .Q. A &;

ATTORNEY Oct. 8, 1935.

N MADDOX SCREENING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES Original Filed Nov. 13, 1933 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN'I 'OR NonaLeaMaddox Patented Oct. 8, 1935 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE Application November 13, 1933, Serial No. 697,773Renewed March 6, 1935 4 Claims.

This invention relates to automobiles and particularly to whatare knownas closed cars. In such cars considerable annoyance is had when thewindows are open by reason of insects which fly or are blown into thecar through the windows.

Also, dogs traveling with the other occupants of the car sometimes jumpout of an open window when the vehicle is in motion and such openwindows are also a source of danger to small children. At the same timesome opening must obviously be provided when traveling in hot weather togive the necessary ventilation.

The principal object of my invention is to eliminate the annoyance anddanger of the ordinary form of open window by providing screen panes,

' mounted alongside the glass panes, and likewise movable selectively tocover the window or to be placed out of the way when their use is notnecessary, as when the windows are to be kept closed. In this manner thedesired ventilation is retained while the occupants of the car aresafeguarded and free from the annoyance of insects. Also the car may beleft parked with the screens raised so that the interior will remainventilated while the contents are protected from theft.

Also in the case of pets or small children left in the car they are freefrom the discomfort due to any lack of ventilation while at the sametime they are kept from harm due to possibly jumping or falling throughthe windows.

A further object of the invention is to provide for the operation ofeither the glass or screen pane selectively, by a single operatinghandle so constructed that the operation is very easily effected.

' I have also provided a screen device for the windshield of the carwhich prevents the entrance of the insects into the same even when thewindshield is open as is sometimes desired in hot weather.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensivedevice and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purposefor which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several views:

Figure 1 is an inside view partly broken out of an automobile doorshowing the same equipped with the glass and screen panes.

Figure 2 is a transverse section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side outline of an automobile equipped withthe window and windshield screens.

Figure 4is an enlarged cross section of the selective clutch-sprocketunit.

Figure 5 is an end view of one of the sprockets. 5

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawings, the door I of the automobile is of the usual hollowconstruction provided with a window opening 2. Relatively inner andouter glass and screen panes 3 and 4 respectively of a size to cover theopening are mounted in the door for lowering movement into the hollowarea below the opening and are guided on their side edges by felt linedpanels 5 in the customary manner.

Secured in the door is a vertical U shaped frame 8, the panes beingdisposed and movable between the opposed walls of said frame and thebottom of the latter being below the lowest position of the panes.Pivoted on the inner faces of the vertical walls of the frame 6, betweensuch walls and the adjacent panes, are segmental gears 1 having radialarms 8 rigid therewith. The outer ends of the arms carry rollers 9 whichride on the lower edges of the bottom rails ID of the g5 respectivepanes. This arrangement, as will be evident, is practically standardexcept that the gears face down instead of up as usual.

Pivoted in the frame 6 below the lowest position of the panes is atransverse shaft H carrying adjacent one end a pinion l2 engaging theouter gear I. On its opposite end, beyond the inner wall of the frame 6,said shaft carries a sprocket wheel l3. Turnably mounted on the shaft IIis a sleeve l4 carrying a pinion I5 which engages the inner gear I. Thissleeve, between the sprocket wheel l3 and the adjacent wall of the frame6 carries a similar sprocket wheel l6.

Journaled for turning and sliding movement in the inner wall of theframe 6 near the top, or in a position corresponding to that occupied bythe usual operating handle shaft, is a shaft I! having an operatingcrank I8 of standard character on its end inwardly of the door.Separately turnable on said shaft between the door lining and theadjacent wall of the frame 6 are sprocket wheels l9, held against axialmovement between said frame 6 and a cage 20 secured to said frame. Thesesprocket wheels are alined with the lower sprockets l5 and I6 and areconnected thereto by endless chains 2|. The hubs of the sprockets l9 arein contact with each other and have enlarged bores 22 on the adjacentends so that a radial pin 24 projecting from the shaft 11 may turnfreely therein. Radial recesses 23 in the without lowering the screen.shown this fiapas being hinged in effect, it may sprocket wheel hubs atthe back of the bores 22 are provided to receive the pin in drivingrelation.

In operation, to manipulate the glass pane for instance, it is onlynecessary to push in on the crank 18, turning the same if necessaryuntil the pin 24 is alined with the recess 23 of the correspondingsprocket wheel l9. A rotation of the crank handle will then either raiseor lower said pane, according to the direction in which said handle isrotated. When it is desired to operate the other pane, the pane justoperated may be left where it is if desired, since it is only necessaryto pull out on the crank handle 18 so as to cause the pin 24 to engagethe recess 23 in the sprocket wheel of said other pane.

The screen panel for the drivers windowmay be formed if desired with aspring flap portion 25 as shown in Figure 3 so that the drivers hand maybe projected therethrough to give a signal Though I have be made toslide lengthwise or up and down, or

be otherwise mounted as. may be found most suitable.

A protecting screen cage 26 may also be mountedaboutthe lower and sideedges of the windshield of the car, as shown in Figure 3. This willallow the windshield, if of the usual forwardly opening type, to beopened any desired amount without insects entering the car through thegap thus formed between the windshield and itscaging. This screen wouldalso be as of large.

mesh as. practicable so as to offer a minimum interference with lateralvision.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I haveproduced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departuref'rom'the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described. my invention what I claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a window opening having a transparent pane movable to close saidopening, a screen pane movable to cover the opening, separate mecha:

nisms for thusmoving said panes, said mechanisms including separatepinions, a shaft turnable and slidable through said pinions, an operating handle attached to said shaft, and means between the shaft andpinions to place them in selective and alternate driving engagement withthe shaft when the shaftv is moved axially.

2; In' a windowopening having a transparent pane movable to close saidopening, a screen pane, movable to cover the opening, separatemechanisms for: thus moving said panes, such mechanisms includingsegmental gears disposed to the sides of the panes, pinions engaging thegears, a single operating handle, and means between thehandle andpinions to selectively rotate the pinions with the movement of thehandle.

3. Ina window opening having a transparent pane movable. to close saidopening, ascreen pane movablerto. cover the opening, separate mechanismsfor. thus. moving. said panes, such mechanisms including segmental gearsdisposed to.v the sides of the panes, pinions engagingv the gears, asingle rotatableoperating shaft spaced from the pinions, separatedrivedevices between said pinions andlthe shaft, said devices includingelements turnabl'e. on the shaft, and means to place the shaft indriving. engagement with said u elements selectively.

4. In. a'window opening having. a. transparent pane. movable to. closesaid'.' opening, a screen pane movable to. cover the opening, separatemechanisms for thus moving said panes, such mechanisms includingsegmental gears disposed. to the sides of" the panes, pinions engagingthe.

gears, a single rotatable operating shaft spaced from the pinions,separate drive devices between said. pinions and the shaft',.saiddevices including elements turnable on the shaft and through which thelatter is slidable, and a pin projecting radially from the. shaftbetween the elements,

the latter having sockets.in their adjacent faces to selectively receivethe pin in driving relation.

NONA LEA MADDOX.

